auntlucy

Fenton, 89 pounds is fantastic! I think it's time for you to treat yourself to some new clothes that fit better. I bet if you also shaved or trimmed your beard and got a hair cut that you would feel really good about looking in the mirror again! Keep up the great work!

Missrach, you are not alone...I was definitely afraid. I actually backed out of it a few years ago when I first looked into it. While I was afraid this time, I was ready to make the changes necessary to succeed. Believe me...once you get past the first 6 weeks, you stop wanting the same things (at least that's been my experience). You can do it! You should be so proud of yourself for taking these steps to a healthier you!

Lisa B, we're glad to yave you join in on the conversation! Good luck as you continue down this amazing journey!

You are cracking me up, you skinny knee hugger!

Congratulations MrsFlipFlops! You are doing great. Keep it up and you'll be in the 2's before you know it!

I used the New Whey Protein Bullets. They come in a variety of fruity flavors. 1 bullet has 42 g protein, 176 calories, 0 fat, and only 2g carbs. I mix 1/2 of the bullet with a glass of crystal light. My favorite is the fruit punch bullet mixed with fruit punch crystal light.

Andrea, I think you should talk to your doctor or nutritionist again. 1500 calories might be too much for you. I'm trying to stay between 900 and 1100 calories and I have no problem getting 60-70 grams of protein in along with veggies and fruit with that calorie limit. Occasionally I go over slightly in order to get more protein in. I definitely think the protein is most important, but you also need to stay within a reasonable calorie intake. All of our bodies are different, so I think you should talk with your doctor. Also, are you exercising?

Don't get us wrong...I think many of us think it could work for you if you are willing to change your habits. I know it's a hard decision. I almost did it 3 years ago (even had a surgery date). About a week before, I backed out because I wasn't ready. This time I was ready! I wish you the best as you continue to contemplate this.

Congratulations on your decision and welcome to the site! I'm completely addicted to it now!

Yes, mine have changed a lot! I crave healthy foods now. When I go out to eat, I get really excited when I see that they have a really great fish that I haven't had for a while. I've never cared much for plain tomato soup, and I pratically lived off of it during the post-op liquid stage. I still crave it. I went to a working lunch the other day, and they had pizza. I turned my nose down at it...didn't even look good to me. I still like spicy foods, and fortunately I can tolerate them just fine. I do have to admit that I still crave chips and salsa but have been a good girl and haven't had any.

Kris, I feel for you. You will be in my prayers as you and your mother make this decision. Many of us were in similar shoes when we were your age. Teenagers (and sometimes even adults) can be very cruel. Please know that there is life after this. The band is a tool that has helped a lot of people achieve their goals, and it's certainly helping me. Good luck!

The bottom line question you need to ask yourself is what is preventing you from losing weight? You really need to get to the root of the problem. If the band as a tool will help you solve that problem, then it's something you should consider.

I don't know if there is a cut off age when someone is emotionally ready. I started looking into it a few years ago at age 34, and I wasn't emotionally ready then. One thing I would suggest is that you get your daughter a good counselor to deal with the emotional aspects of it. My mom and doctor put me on a liquid diet when I was in high school without even really asking me for my input on the idea. While I lost weight, it wasn't permanent weight loss, and I think I ended up with bigger issues as a result. You might even want to get some counseling with your daughter. I do applaud you for being proactive in helping your daughter. I could tell from the tone of your posting that you love her a great deal and would do anything for her. I hope she appreciates you!

This was actually one of my concerns too...I have always been a person who drinks a lot of fluids. To counteract that dehydrated feeling, I try to always have a bottle of water with me. I That way, I can drink it on the way to the restaurant. I try to stop before I get there. Usually it takes 20 to 30 minutes to get seated, order your food, and have it served, so it's not a problem if you stop drinking before you get to the restaurant. Good luck!

I'm not trying to pass judgement, but it sounds to me like you aren't ready for the band if you don't believe you can change your habits. To be successful, you really need to be ready for it; otherwise, it is a waste of money and unneeded stress on your body with the surgery. Everyone who is successful with the band has had to makme drastic life changes. For a couple o fyears, I said that I didn't think I could get it b/c I didn't think I could not drink liquids while I ate and that I couldn't give up carbonation. But, now I've made both changes. It's not always easy, but I'm doing it and am having success! Whether you choose the band or not, you know what you need to do to reach your goals. You can do it! (I hope I didn't sound preachy...that was not my intent.) Good luck with your decision!

I never even tried the baby food...just had no desire. I ate a lot of tomato Soup..you might also try V8 or the V8 splash (doesn't that one have fruit). I mainly worried about getting my Protein in. The pain in your shoulder should get better each day. It took me about 4 to 6 weeks to really be feeling great again, but the good thing is that it gets better a little at a time.

Congratulations Lucymae! That is such a fantastic milestone accomplishment! Do something great for yourself to celebrate! I know it feels so good when you reach your goals. Keep up the great work! Here's ten thumbs up for you! :ohmy::thumbup::thumbup::smile:

It may not be a big deal, but if I were you I would go ahead and call your surgeon. That is what they are there for, and it's better to be safe than sorry. I did have a little "spotting" after surgery, but it was more of a yellowish red color that my surgeon's office said was normal. But, it truly was spotting and not draining. Let us know what you find out!

You might want to research the mortality rates a little more on GB. I'm not an expert by any means, but my surgeon didn't say it was nearly as high as 25%. For me, it didn't take me long to make the decision with all of the risks of GB. I ruled it out as an option about 10 minutes into the seminar. Despite my exces weight, I'm actually pretty healthy. I just didn't see taking those risks. I knew with either surgery it would require me to make significant lifestyle changes. So, I had to commit to that before the surgery. I've been overweight ever since I an remember (my Mom said my first diet was at age 3). I've dieted my whole life. I needed a tool to help me, and it has been the band! I am more optomistic than I've ever been about successful weight loss and keeping it off! Commit to making these changes for your beautiful children...you are very fortunate to have them! And, they are fortunate to have a mom who is willing to go to these extraordinary means to be a healthier mom for them.

Fletcher, Don't beat yourself up! You have already done it and you can't go back and correct it. But, what you can do is make a decision right now to stay on track. If you are like me, your dieting history probably included so many starts and stops. As soon as I blew a diet, I would think, "well, I already messed up, so I might as well eat this too." Don't let that happen to you this time. Instead, get focused on letting your body heal...that is the whole point of the liquid phase. If you keep eating solids before your body is fully healed, you could have some complications. I came to love tomato soup during the liquid phase. My doctor even let me crumble up some crackers in the soup. If you make the soup with milk instead of Water, you are adding some Protein that way. Some milk has more protein than others. If you are in an area with a Braum's store, their milk has a lot of protein compared to most. Hang in there! You can do this. I know that it seems like the liquid phase will last forever, but you'll be through it before you know it!

Well, this hasn't been a FUN post, but perhaps it is therapeutic for us to get some of these things off of our chest. Let's use this as an opportunity to say goodbye to those painful memories and move forward with our new and improved outer shells!

Thanks Jacqui! You are an inspiration. From your picture, it looks like you look fantastic! I've enjoyed reading many of your posts over the last few months.

Thank you so much Tess! I appreciate all of the support. It's odd how the support of someone I really don't know means a lot. I think the fact that it seems like we are on the same journey is the reason. Today was a great day! Even though I think some of my hair is starting to come out, I just let myself enjoy the day with my best friend (after I went to the healthfood store to get some Biotin and Vitamin B with folic acid so I can try to keep my precious hair from shedding so much). And, as far as rewarding myself, I went and withdrew $400 from my account so I can add it to my growing clothing fund! I'm going to NYC in the fall, and I'll likely need some new clothes by then. Thanks again! Now that we've both hit our 50 pound goal, our next goal is to get under 300! Have you given thought to what your next goal will be after that?

Thanks everyone! Tess, I appreciate your support and encouragement! I agree that even if we set our goal weights, they may change. We need to base it on how we feel once we get closer. The lightest I've ever been was 155 when I was a senior in high school (I went on Medifast for several months to get there). I was about a size 8/10, which seemed to be a good size for me. (Of course, my friends at the time were confronting me thinking I was anorexic. I mean, come on, I wasn't that thin!) I'm 5'8", so that would be at the top of the range using the formula that vegwannabe posted.

It does make sense...I've seen that "formula" before. Thank you for responding!